The most recent federal disclosure forms offer a stark reminder of Microsoft Corp.'s mighty Washington presence: The software giant's tab of almost $2 million for the third quarter alone nearly equaled the amount its rival Google Inc. spent in the first nine months of the year.

Google Inc.'s decision to abandon its proposed advertising partnership with Yahoo Inc. rather than fight a government antitrust challenge sparked reaction from Silicon Valley to Washington to Madison Avenue.

One key gripe about the patent process is expected to take center stage before the U.S. Supreme Court on Tuesday morning. In their third major patent case this year, the justices are scheduled to hear arguments about what courts should consider when deciding whether an invention is too "obvious" to warrant protection.

Five leading technology companies support European Union regulators in their legal battle with Microsoft, a lawyer for the group said Wednesday. IBM, Oracle, Red Hat, RealNetworks and Nokia have applied to intervene against Microsoft in its court appeal of last year's EU antitrust ruling.

Religious and other conservative groups have shown little love for Hollywood or the recording industry over the years. But a cadre of those groups are stepping up to back the entertainment industry in its moment of need: a high-stakes battle against online file-sharing services that has reached the nation's highest court.

Two industries are poised to do battle in a high-stakes court case, and each side is getting support from non-typical sources. Religious and other conservative groups have allied with the entertainment industry, while major technology groups are backing the file-sharing industry.

The European Union and Microsoft are expecting a ruling this year on their five-year antitrust battle after the judge in the case said Thursday he would continue to use evidence from two of the EU's biggest backers who have defected to the other side.